Fire tube furnace with flue gas turbulator



April l, 1952 w. B. BROCK 2,591,398

FIRE TUBE FURNACE WITH FLUE GAS TURBULATOR Filed July '1, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. l, 1952 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE TUBE FURNACE WITH FLUE GAS TURBULATOR Walter B. Brock, Vernon, N. Y.

Application July 1, 1949, Serial No. 102,697

(Cl. 11G-97) 3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a nue gas turbulator, and I declare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof sufficient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters refer to like parts throughout.

The object of the invention is to provide a device that can be removably mounted in the internal ilues or fire tubes of a boiler or other fuel burning. device to conserve the heat generated by the fire and thereby prevent its escape up the chimney.

Heretofore in a heating system or fuel burning device, a substantial percentage of the fuel burned is wasted for the reason that the hot core of the combustion gases passes directly through the flues and out the smoke pipe carrying with it a large percentage of the heat up the chimney.

The flue gas turbulators herein provided are placed in one or more of the internal flues or nre tubes of the heating system or fuel burning device to retain the heat which would otherwise escape, and thereby transfer said heat into hot water, or steam, or warm air.

The turbulator achieves its object by having a plurality of heat absorption and gas deflection surfaces which retard and break up the forward coming stream of combustion gases, and direct them outwardly and downwardly toward the heat absorption surfaces of the flues or fire tubes where said gases can then more readily transfer their heat units to the medium to be heated. At the same time the turbulator itself absorbs heat from the combustion gases and reradiates it to the flues or fire tubes.

Functionally speaking, the turbulator floats centrally in the stream of combustion gases, creating no obstruction to the heat absorption area of the flue, and preventing any tendency of the outgoing flue gases to form a hot core which would carry the heat out the chimney without coming in contact with the flue walls. The result of this action is a much higher percentage of heat transfer through the flue walls and a substantial drop in the stack temperature.

This will be better understood by referring to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a standard type of boiler showing a turbulator installed in one of the iiues of said boiler, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged view showing the turbulator in perspective.

Fig. 3 is a detail enlarged View showing a plan of the turbulator.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modified form of the turbulator disposed in a round fire tube such as used in marine type boiler, parts being broken away to expose the modified form of turbulator.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a boiler I of the usual construction having fire tubes 2 as illustrated in Fig. 1. The novel feature comprises the addition of removable turbulators 3 to said re tubes 2.

Each of the turbulators 3 comprises a single strip of metal 4 bent to form a series of substantially parallelogrammatic plates 5 disposed at right angles to each other with every other plate 5 lying in a plane parallel to one another.

Furthermore, each of the plates 5 of strips 4 is tilted towards one end by bending said strips 4 on parallel lines 6 inclined at an angle of approximately sixty degrees to the lower edge 'I thereof, whereby said plates 5 will cause the deflection of the hotter gases in the upper portion of the stream passing through tubes 2 downward toward the comparatively cooler layer of gas which tends to cling to the lower surface 8 of the flue.

Moreover, each of the strips 4 is supported on legs I0 which are welded or otherwise attached to the lower part of strips 4 at suitable distances apart to hold said strips 4 up off the lower inner surface 8 of re tube 2, whereby to form a passage therebeneath for the hot gases of combustion.

Furthermore, the top edge of each of the strips 4 is spaced a suitable distance from the inner top surface I2 of re tube 2 for the same purpose.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 and commencing at the left hand end 'thereof the turbulator comprises an end plate I5 that is substantially rectangular throughout part of its surface. It is cut downward at I6 a short distance at an angle from its top edge Il to the right angle bend 6 between end plate I5 and adjoining plate I9 to form a V-shaped member 20 that is bent at substantially right angles to plate I9, whereby to provide a supporting arm to aid in holding turbulator 3 at a suitable distance from the side wall 2| of fire tube 2 and to provide a surface for the additional retarding and turbulating action on the progressing stream of combustion gases.

Plate I9 is rectangular throughout part of its surface and is disposed substantially at right angles to end plate I5. Likewise plate I9 is cut down at I6 to form a V-shaped member 25 similar to member 25 bent at right angles to plate I9 and extending in the opposite direction to V- shaped plate 2% to aid in holding turbulator 3 from the opposite side wall 2l. It is used for the same supporting and retarding purpose as V-shaped member 2l). Y

Adjoining plate i9 on the right is plate 25 similar in shape to plate 9. It is disposed at right angles to plate i9 and in a plane parallel to the plane of end plate l5. It is cut down also at I6 to allow for a V-shaped member 29 on plate 32 next to the right.

Progressing further to the right, plate 33 is similar in shape to plates 53, 2S and 32. It is provided with a V-shaped member 25 extending therefrom in the opposite direction to member of the plate i9 and 32 and parallel to member of plate I9.

Plates 35 and 3S are similar to plates I3, 26,

32, 33 and are provided with V-shaped members 29 and 25 respectively. It will be observed that V-shaped members 20 alternate with V-shaped members 25, whereby all V-shaped members 20 extend in parallel relation to each other to one side of the turbulator Sand V-shaped members 25. extend in parallel relation to each other to the other side of turbulator 3, whereby to aid in keeping turbulator 3 in its proper position in flue 2. l

The end plate 4U is of mutilated rectangular shape. It is provided likewise with a V-shaped member 20.

A modification of the turbulator 3 here denoted is illustrated in Fig. 4. It is made preferably of one piece of metal bent to form paralthe reason that they are unnecessary to keep it properly spaced from the contiguous wall of tube or to prevent it from obstructing the passage of gases as they progress through said tube 55.

The combustion gases easily pass all around said turbulator 45 which serves to retard their flow and to break up the central core of hot gases that ordinarily forms in such ues, and to deflect said gases against the heat absorption surfaces of the flue 55.

Operation Turbulator 3 will be disposed in the fire tubes or flues 2 of boiler l. To this end door 69 of boiler I can be opened. Assuming that the gases of combustion are progressing from the right hand side of each of the fire tubes 2 as illustrated by the arrows in Fig. 1 they will meet first the surface of end plate it which is disposed at an angle to the direct flow of said gases. VThis end plate ll will aid in retarding the passage of said gases and direct them downward and towards the surface of side wall 2l.

Moreover, V-shaped member 20 connected to end plate 9 Vwill also aid in retarding the upper strata of gases and in directing them sidev-:ise and downward toward the lower surface 8. As said gases progress further they will be retarded and directed alternately towards the side 2l and the lower surface 8 of fire tube 2.

Vallow for the passage of said gases;

Moreover, the turbulator 3 scatters said hot vcore of gases and deflects them outwardly and downwardly towards the heat transfer surfaces and 2l of re tube 2, thereby scrubbing loose the layers of cooler gases which cling to said surfaces.

The resultant effect of this turbulence of the gases is a higher percentage of heat transfer through the said walls 8 and side 2| of fire tube 2 and a substantial drop in the temperature of the gases leaving fire tube 2.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

l; In a flue gas heater having substantially horizontal Vlire tubes or iiues, the combination with a turbulator positioned within any of said tubes or flues, said turbulator consisting of a strip of metal bent to form a series of alternating right and left hand deflecting plates, the alternate pairs of right and left hand deflecting plates lying in parallel planes to each other, the axis of the bends between the respective plates disposed at an oblique angle to the edges of the turbulator strip.

2. In a iue gas heater having substantially horizontal fire tubes or flues, the combination" with a turbulator positioned within any of said tubes or ues, said turbulator consisting of a strip of metal bent to form a series of alternating right and left hand delecting plates, the alternate pairs of right and left hand deflecting plates lying in parallel planes to each other, the axis of Vthe bends between the respective plates disposed at an oblique angle to the edges of the turbulator strip, so as to form a series of vdeflectors, the face of each deflector plate being inclined at an oblique angle to the horizontal axis of said tube or flue.

3. The structure recited in claim 1, said turbulators being removably mounted in said nues, and means for supporting said turbulators within said ues with the faces and edges of the deflecting turbulator plates disposed in spaced relationship from the inner wall surfaces of said iiues.

WALTER B. BROCK.

errno The following references are of record in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,632,888 Davis June 21, 1927 2,161,887 Ramsaur June 13, 1939 2,289,097 Brinen July 7, 1942 FOREIGN eATENTs Number Country Date 680,070 Germany Aug. 29, 1939 

